Saudi Govt Briefed on Outcomes of Crown Prince’s Visits to Greece, France

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
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Saudi Govt Briefed on Outcomes of Crown Prince’s Visits to Greece, France

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)

The Saudi government was briefed on Tuesday on the outcomes of the visits paid by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, to Greece and France last week.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the cabinet meeting that was held in Jeddah.

Crown Prince Mohammed’s talks with Greek and French leaders underscored the strength of relations with Saudi Arabia and reflected the joint desire to bolster them in various fields.

They agreed to continue coordination and consultations on issues of common interest in service of their peoples and to achieve regional security and stability.

The cabinet highlighted the signing of agreements between Saudi Arabia and Greece and stressed the importance of deepening and developing the strategic partnership with France.

King Salman also briefed the ministers on the separate messages he received from the presidents of Tunisia and the Central African Republic.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, Minister of State, Cabinet's Member for Shura Council Affairs and Acting Minister of Media, Dr. Essam bin Saad bin Saeed said the cabinet reiterated the Kingdom’s remarks at the Group of 77 + China meeting where it expressed its commitment to international work and cooperation to combat climate change.

It said it was dedicated to effectively achieving international climate goals through its major initiatives, most notably the Green Saudi Arabia, Green Middle East and Circular Carbon Economy.

The cabinet stressed its commitment to improving the level of services to citizens and improving their quality, maximizing efficient use of resources and assets in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

It commended the economic and structural reforms implemented in line with the Vision, noting that they have helped achieve sustainable and comprehensive economic growth.

It pointed to the increase in Saudi Arabia's GDP by 11.8% during the second quarter of 2022 compared to the same period of the previous year 2021.

It also pointed to International Monetary Fund figures that the Kingdom’s economy registered the highest growth rate in the world, reaching 6.7% in 2022.



Albudaiwi Stresses GCC Commitment to Combating All Forms of Human Trafficking

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi
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Albudaiwi Stresses GCC Commitment to Combating All Forms of Human Trafficking

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassim Albudaiwi stressed that the Governmental Forum to Combat Human Trafficking in the Middle East has received regional and international acclaim for the efforts of GCC countries.

He noted that since its inception, the forum has contributed to shaping a unified GCC vision to address human trafficking, tailored to the region’s unique economic and geographic characteristics, as well as the evolving challenges of this crime, particularly with the use of modern technologies and transnational organized crime networks, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.

Albudaiwi made his remarks during his speech at the opening of the sixth Governmental Forum to Combat Human Trafficking in the Middle East for 2025, held in Kuwait. The forum was attended by Minister of Justice of Kuwait Counselor Nasser Al-Sumait, along with several ministers and senior representatives from member states, as well as delegates from the GCC Secretariat, the Arab League, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the US Department of State.

Albudaiwi highlighted the adoption of national laws that criminalize human trafficking and establish clear mechanisms for victim protection and offender prosecution. These efforts include the formation of national committees and agencies, establishment of shelters, hotlines, and national referral systems for potential victims, as well as specialized training for security and judicial personnel.

He also cited regulatory reforms in labor markets through updated labor legislation and expanded regional and international cooperation with organizations such as UNODC, the International Organization for Migration, and the International Labor Organization to implement joint preventive and awareness programs.

Albudaiwi concluded and called for united efforts among countries to address shared challenges, enhance coordination, and sustain collective action, mainly in combating transnational crimes and protecting vulnerable groups such as women, children, and migrants.

He reaffirmed the GCC's steadfast and ongoing commitment to combating human trafficking in all its forms, advancing legislative and regulatory frameworks, and enhancing regional and international cooperation to ensure victim protection, offender accountability, and the promotion of justice and human rights.